According to the release, a total of 47 roads, including 13 in Mandi, 11 in Kangra, nine each in Shimla and Kullu, two in Una and one each in Kinnaur, Sirmaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts have been closed for traffic.

Meanwhile, the local meteorological office (MeT) has warned that parts of three districts — Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur– are at the risk of low to moderate flash floods till Sunday.

According to the MeT office, Malroan recorded the highest rainfall of 64 mm followed by Pandoh 32.5 mm, Berthin 30.4 mm, Aghar 29.8 mm, Mandi 28.7 mm, Bhatiyyat 28.4 mm, Jubbarhatti 26 mm, Bhuntar 25.7 mm, Sundernagar 18.6 mm, Poanta Sahib 13.4 mm, Dhaulakuan 13 mm, Manali 12 mm, Kufri 11.6 mm and Sarahan 11 mm.

Himachal Pradesh’s rainfall deficit since the onset of monsoon in the state on June 27 stands at 21 per cent, with the state receiving 517.8 mm rainfall against an average of 652.1 mm, the MeT data revealed.

As many as 157 people have died in rain-related incidents during the ongoing monsoon season from June 27 till September 6 and the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,303 crore, according to official data.

(With PTI inputs)

As per the news agency ANI report, the Deputy Commissioner of the district, Mullai Muhilan, on Wednesday warned the fishermen not to venture into the sea for fishing tomorrow and further advised the public to avoid low-lying areas and to take necessary precautions to ensure safety from the rain. Furthermore, the residents were also urged to stay indoors and follow the official instructions to minimise any risks.

“The district administration is also on high alert, with emergency services and relief teams ready to respond to any situation,” Muhilan was quoted as saying to news agency ANI. According to the India Meteorological Department(IMD), Very heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mahe on July 31; Coastal Karnataka on August 1 and August 2 and South Interior Karnataka during Julu 31 to August 2, 2024.

“Heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Coastal & South Interior Karnataka during 31st July04th August; Telangana on 31st July; Kerala & Mahe on 01st & 02nd August; Tamil Nadu on 01st August  and North Interior Karnataka during 31st July-02nd August,” IMD in a press release said.

(With ANI Inputs)

Addressing a public meeting in the Sundernagar area of Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi on Friday, Ranaut — the BJP candidate from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat — while referring to the INDIA bloc, said the opposition alliance is full of “spoiled princes” and launched a salvo, apparently intended to target former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav.

Tejashwi or Tejasvi?

However, Kangana apparently confused Yadav with his namesake Tejasvi Surya, and unwittingly targeted the BJP leader.

“Bigde hue shehzadon ke ek party hai, chahe woh Rahul Gandhi ho jayen, jinhe chand mein aaloo ugane ho; Tejasvi Surya ho jayen, jo apni gunda-gardi karte hai, machli uchal uchal ke khate hai (There is a party of spoiled princes like Rahul Gandhi who wants to grow potatoes on the moon or Tejasvi Surya who does hooliganism and shows off while eating fish)…,” Kangana said while apparently targeting former INDIA bloc leader Tejashwi Yadav, but mistakenly naming BJP’s Bangalore South MP and candidate Tejasvi Surya.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

Exclusive

Kangana Ranaut said that Tejashwi Surya does hooliganism and eats fish.

BJP has made her its candidate, who doesn't know the difference between Tejasvi Yadav and Tejasvi Surya #KanganaRanaut #TejasviSurya pic.twitter.com/YN0UvuplOi

— Mr. Democratic (@Mrdemocratic_) May 4, 2024

Kangana’s faux pas became the fuel for humorous memes and jokes on social media as netizens poked fun at her ‘slip of tongue’. The blooper also triggered a response from Yadav on X who shot a sarcastic tweet asking “Yeh kaun mohtarma hai? (Who is this lady?).”

Notably, Tejasvi Surya is the BJP’s Bangalore South MP and the party’s candidate from the same constituency while Tejashwi Yadav is an RJD leader who recently came under attack from the BJP after he posted a clip in which he is seen eating fish, allegedly during the Navratri festival.

PM Modi stopped World War III?

Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut recently made another unsubstantiated claim, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as the people of Ukraine “look up” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “guidance” and he (Modi) is the reason that a third World War has not occured yet.

Ukraine looks up to Modi for guidance, It is because of Modi that World War 3 hasn't happened yet – Kangana Ranaut
pic.twitter.com/KpDMYKjTfE

— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) May 6, 2024

“From Vladimir Putin to the people of Ukraine, they keep looking up to him (Modi) to provide them with guidance. And, perhaps this is a reason why World War III has not happened,” Kangana claimed while addressing poll rally recently.

(With PTI inputs)

According to the police, the victims, all college students in their early twenties from nearby Dehradun, were on a trip to Mussoorie when the mishap occurred on early Saturday morning. Police have identified the deceased as Aman Singh Rana (22), Dingyansh Pratap Bhati (23), Tanuja Rawat 22), Ashutosh Tiwari and Hridayansh Chandra (24).

Dehradun, Uttarakhand: Five people died after a car lost control and fell into a deep ditch near Pani Wala Band on Mussoorie Dehradun Marg Jhadipani Road. Four boys and two girls studying at Dehradun IMS College had come to Mussoorie for a trip. 5 people have died in the accident… pic.twitter.com/5mBox18hqG

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2024

A woman, 24-year-old Nayanshri, was the sole survivor of the gory road crash and is undergoing treatment for her injuries at a hospital, police said, adding that the victims, two men and two women were from the IMS Unison University in Dehradun and one was from the Dehradun Institute of Technology University.

Giving details, an official said the students were travelling in a SUV, when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to fall off the road, around 60 metres on another road down below. The mishap occurred near Jharipani in Mussoorie, the official said.

“Four men died on the spot while one of the two women seriously injured in the accident succumbed to her injuries during treatment at a nearby hospital,” fire official Dhiraj Singh Tariyal said, adding that the other injured woman is still under treatment.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident.

“Received the painful news about the death of five persons in an unfortunate road accident in Mussoorie. Pray for peace to the departed souls and strength to their families to bear the pain,” Dhami said in a post on X.

The information about the accident was received at around 5:30 am, he added.

(With PTI inputs)

The two women were subsequently stripped naked and paraded before being brutally gang-raped during the ethnic violence in the state, the charge sheet added.

The charge sheet said the mob had attacked a third woman, belonging to the same family, too, and tried to strip her but failed in the attempt because she was clutching her granddaughter tightly. She managed to escape after the group attacking her went towards the first two victims who were being tormented in the paddy fields.

All three victims had sought the help of police personnel present on the spot, but no help was extended to them, the charge sheet has alleged.

The women, one of whom was the wife of a Kargil war veteran, desperately asked the police personnel to drive them to a safe location but were allegedly told by them that “there was no key” (of the vehicle) and did not provide any help, the charge sheet said.

A video showing two women being paraded naked surrounded by a mob of men went viral last year in July, nearly two months after the incident that took place on May 4.

The CBI filed its charge sheet against six accused and a report against one Child in Conflict with the Law (CCL) before the Special Judge, CBI Court at Guwahati on October 16 last year.

It has been alleged that the two women were running away from a mob of around 900-1,000 persons carrying sophisticated weapons like AK rifles, SLR, INSAS and .303 rifles. The mob vandalised and “burnt to the ground” all the houses of their village B Phainom in Kangpokpi district, about 68 km south of Saikul police station, it said.

All three women were part of the group of 10 people who ran into the Haokhongching forest to hide from the mob. The women, along with other victims, ran into the forest to escape from the mob but were spotted by the rioters who had separated the victims.

One group took two males and two females, another took the third victim with a granddaughter while the third group took the village chief, another male and his two daughters.

One of the two victims who was gang-raped and paraded naked was not well and had to be carried on the backs of male members of the family as they proceeded to the Chakhama village.

The mob swelled up on the way as the rioters from another village joined the group and all started beating the victims.

Some members of the mob told the women to reach the police vehicle parked on the roadside to seek help, the officials in the know of the development said.

The two women managed to get inside the vehicle, in which two police personnel and the driver were sitting. Three to four personnel were outside the vehicle.

One of the male victims, who also managed to make his way inside the vehicle, kept pleading with the driver to drive them to a safe place but was told that “there was no key”.

The husband of one of the victims had served the Indian Army as a subedar of the Assam Regiment.

The police also did not help the father of the man sitting in the vehicle from being assaulted by the mob, the CBI has alleged.

The driver of the police gypsy drove the vehicle towards a mob of around 1,000 people and stopped it in front of them. The victims desperately asked the police personnel to drive them to safety, but no help was provided to them.

The mob had already killed the father of one of the male victims who was sitting in the gypsy along with the two women, the agency has said. Later, the male victim in the gypsy was also bludgeoned to death.

Their bodies were thrown in the dry riverbed near the village. The violent mob came towards the gypsy when the police personnel fled from the scene, leaving the victims at the mercy of the crowd.

The perverted assault and gang rape of the two women victims started after the rioters dragged them out, stripped them of their clothes and paraded them naked, according to the gory details detailed in three pages of the charge sheet.

While the two women were facing inhuman sexual assault, a group of the rioters were dragging the third victim towards the main road where a police vehicle was parked. She pleaded with the police personnel to save her husband, but they did not listen. When she tried to enter the police vehicle, they “pushed her away”, the charge sheet said.

She got lucky when a group of rioters tormenting her turned their attention to another group which was assaulting two female victims and was involved in the macabre killing of two male victims.

The woman ran along with her granddaughter, who was “crying inconsolably” towards another village, only to be reunited with her family the next day in a Naga village, it said.

The CBI has charge sheeted Huirem Herodas Meitei, Arun Kungongbam, Ningombam Tomba Singh, Yumlemban Jiban Singh, Pukrihongbam Surunjoy Meiti and Nameirakpam Kiran Meiti and a report has been filed against a juvenile.

“Investigation has established that the accused individuals, part of ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis, conspired with a large group of unidentified miscreants from the Meitei community to execute a series of preplanned criminal acts, including violence, arson, sexual assault, and murder with a clear intent.

“Their deliberate actions which specifically targeted victims from the tribal community, included threats, violence and various unlawful acts, aimed at promoting enmity between different groups,” the charge sheet said.

The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those pertaining to gang rape, murder, outraging the modesty of a woman and criminal conspiracy, the CBI has said.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com staff. Copy comes from an agency feed)

According to the police, three men identified as Leichombam Jemson Singh (34), Nongthombam Ratan (47) and Khumukcham Angamba (32), have been arrested in a connection with the firing incident at a primary school in Imphal which left at least one person injured.

“On 19.04.2024 Manipur Police arrested 3 (three) persons identified as i. Leichombam Jemson Singh (34 yrs), ii. Nongthombam Ratan (47 yrs) and iii. Khumukcham Angamba (32 yrs) in connection with a firing incident at Moirangkampu primary school in which one person was injured,” the Manipur Police said in a post on X.

They said that live ammunition and three mobile phones from the possession of the accused.

“Further, from their possession the following items were recovered: i.1 (one) .32 pistol with 8 (eight) live ammunitions. ii.3 (three) mobile phones iii.1 (one) car iv.Rs. 1.5 Lakhs in cash.”

The school, serving as a polling booth, was stormed by gunmen on Friday when voting was underway during the first phase of Lok Sabha polls.

Congress agent shot by gunmen

A PTI report, citing official sources, said an EVM machine was set on fire at the Moirangkampu Sajeb in Khurai constituency while a Congress booth agent was allegedly shot at by gunmen.

“An EVM machine was set ablaze at Moirangkampu Sajeb in Khurai constituency in Imphal East district and a 65-year-old man was also shot at by some unidentified gunmen. There has also been vandalism in at least one more polling station, in Uripok in Imphal West,” the PTI report quoted a source as saying.

Police said the victim, reportedly a Congress booth agent, was standing near a polling station when some armed assailants opened fire.

“He was rushed to a hospital in Imphal for treatment where his condition is stated to be stable,” a police official said.

Booth Level Officer for Moirangkampu Sajeb, Surbala Devi said, “Suddenly two men came and asked for polling agents of the Congress and the BJP. They took the Congress agent outside by holding his hand. Then the two men fired shots at him from inside the car.”

Reports said incidents of EVMs being destroyed were reported from at least four polling booths by unidentified miscreants in Imphal East and Imphal West.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two Nepalese nationals sustained injuries in the accident and are undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.

A senior official said the vehicle carrying nine Nepalese nationals, all residents of Mahendranagar in Nepal, when the accident happened . The Nepal residents, who worked as labourers in Uttarakhand, were headed home, he said.

Police have identified the deceased as Vish Ram (50), Dheeraj (45), Anant Ram Chaudhary (40), Vinod Chaudhary (38), Uday Ram Chaudhary (55), Tilak Ram Chaudhary (45) and Gopal (60). The driver, Rajendra Kumar (38), a resident of Baskot village in Betalghat, was among those killed in the accident, they said.

The two injured, also residents of Nepal, were identified as Shanti Chaudhary and Chhotu Chaudhary, both Nepalese, the police said.

“After receiving information about the accident, a State Disaster Response Team (SDRF) team rushed to the spot,” said an official.

The SDRF team along with locals and police personnel retrieved eight bodies. The injured were rushed to the hospital, he said, adding that all the Nepalese nationals aboard the vehicle were working as labourers for a local contractor and were headed home when the mishap took place.

The deceased labourers worked on a Jal Jeevan Mission project in Unchakot village of Betalghat, reports said.

“Eight people, including the driver, died on the spot and two sustained injuries after the vehicle fell into a 200-feet deep gorge on Monday night,” the official said, adding that bodies of the Nepalese citizens will be sent to their native Tanakpur in Champawat district of Nepal for last rites after completion of medico-legal formalities.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Friday morning, Kangana Ranaut arrived in Mandi and was greeted by a sea of her supporters and fans amid loud ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants and pro-BJP slogans.

#WATCH | Lok Sabha elections 2024 | BJP candidate from Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and actor Kangana Ranaut conducts a roadshow here. pic.twitter.com/FECVPOQ2Sk

— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2024

‘Mandi ki beti’

“Mandi ki beti hi Mandi ko represent karegi (Only Mandi’s own daughter will represent it),” Kangana asserted amid loud cheers and ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants from the crowd.

‘Don’t think Kangana is a heroine, or she is a star. Consider Kangana as your sister, your daughter. Everyone here is my family,” the Tejas-star said while addressing the public rally in the Himachal city.

#WATCH | Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Himachal Pradesh: BJP candidate from Mandi and actor Kangana Ranaut addresses people as she conducts a road show here.

She says, "…Don't think that Kangana is a heroine, that she is a star. Consider Kangana your sister, your daughter.… pic.twitter.com/6wcAjBYnCs

— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2024

Earlier, talking to reporters, Kangana said, “You can see the large gathering here. A lot of people have come here. They are all proud that the daughter of Mandi, the nationalist voice from Mandi will represent the constituency in this election.”

#WATCH | Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Mandi, Himachal Pradesh: BJP candidate and actor Kangana Ranaut says, "You can see the large gathering here. A lot of people have come here. They are all proud that the daughter of Mandi, the nationalist voice from Mandi will represent the… pic.twitter.com/N6p0Sp8sI9

— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2024

Kangana also asserted that development is the main agenda of the BJP which will translate into people’s votes.

“Development is the main issue for BJP…The people of Mandi will show what is in their heart,” she said.

‘Mandi’ row

Ranaut recently hogged the headlines over an alleged derogatory post on social media platforms belonging to Congress leader Supriya Shrinate.

The comment triggered a massive political firestorm and Shrinate later removed the controversial comments from all her social media accounts, claiming that those were not posted by her but by someone else who had access to her accounts.

The Bollywood actor, who had publicly called out Shrinate for posts shared via her social media handles, said she was hurt by the opposition leader’s remarks.

“This (incident) sets the cause of women back by many years. She has posted a very alarming content,” she added.

Shrinate had also hurt the people of Himachal Pradesh by comparing Mandi, a ‘devbhoomi’, to a market, Ranaut further said.

“The meaning of Mandi is not what runs in the head of the Congress. The innocent people of Himachal Pradesh were deeply hurt when they branded it as if it was a flesh trade market. Mandi was named after sage Mandav,” she said.

Asked if she had a message for Shrinate, Ranaut said she has nothing to say to the Congress spokesperson.

(With PTI inputs)

Check out the full schedule, phases, seats, and list of candidates for each of Uttarakhand’s five Lok Sabha constituencies.

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Full Schedule

The Lok Sabha polls in Uttarakhand will be held in a single phase for the following seats:

Phase 1: April 19, 2024

Constituencies:

• Tehri Garhwal
• Garhwal
• Almora (SC)
• Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar
• Haridwar

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Dates; Phase-Wise

Phase 1

Constituencies: All five mentioned above

Date of notification: March 20, 2024

Last date of nominations: March 27, 2024

Last date to withdraw nominations: March 30, 2024

Polling date: April 19, 2024

Date of counting/results: June 4, 2024

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha 2024: Constituencies-Wise Candidates List

Constituency: Almora (SC)

Candidates:

• Ajay Tamta (BJP)
• Pradeep Tamta (Congress)

Constituency: Garhwal

Candidates:

• Ganesh Godiyal (Congress)
• Anil Baluni (BJP)

Constituency: Haridwar

Candidates:

• Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP)
• Smt. Piya Roy Chowdhury (Congress)

Constituency: Tehri Garhwal

Candidates:

• Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah (BJP)
• Jot Singh Guntsola (Congress)

Constituency: Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar

Candidates:

• Ajay Bhatt (BJP)
• Virender Rawat (Congress)

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha 2019: Constituencies Seat Winners List

Tehri Garhwal: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah (BJP)

Garhwal: Tirath Singh Rawat (BJP)

Almora (SC): Ajay Tamta (BJP)

Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar: Ajay Bhatt (BJP)

Haridwar: Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (BJP)

Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The Uttarakhand Lok Sabha Elections are poised to witness to a heated electoral battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and arch rival Congress.

The saffron party currently holds complete sway in the state as well as Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, having won all five parliamentary seats in the 2019 polls with astounding margins.

The BJP will be looking to maintain its iron grip on all Lok Sabha seats in the state as it marches ahead towards it’s stated goal of breaching the 400-seat mark in the upcoming polls and ensuring a third successive term at the office for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The former lawmakers slammed the Congress government in the state headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, saying development work has stalled since it came to power.

They joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, its national general secretary Arun Singh and state unit president Rajeev Bindal.

Eminent personalities from Himachal Pradesh join the BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP https://t.co/4DekR1riYY

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 23, 2024

Welcoming the former lawmakers into the party, Anurag Thakur said their presence will further strengthen the BJP as he accused the Congress government in the state of failing to fulfil its promises, leading to all-round anger among people.

Anurag Thakur said six of the former lawmakers, despite being Congress MLAs, supported the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha election as they chose to reflect the “public anger” against the Sukhu government.

VIDEO | Six former Himachal Pradesh MLAs, who were disqualified as Congress legislators, join BJP in presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and former CM Jai Ram Thakur in Delhi.

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/0jJSHe0l1K

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 23, 2024

The former Congress MLAs who joined the BJP are Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto — all disqualified on February 29 for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the state government during a cut motion and budget.

Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh and KL Thakur, who were elected as Independents and resigned on Friday, also joined the BJP, with Singh saying they decided to be part of the country’s development journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Development works in the state have stopped since the Congress came to power, he said.

BJP leaders cited a host of development measures taken by the Modi government for the state, including highway and rail projects, and said the former MLAs decided to strengthen the prime minister’s leadership.

These former lawmakers will be given due respect in the BJP, they said.

They are expected to contest the bypolls from their respective seats as candidates of the saffron party.

Jai Ram Thakur described the six former Congress MLAs’ joining the BJP as a big political development for such a small state, noting that several of these leaders had held senior positions within the party.

The former Congress leaders slammed the party, saying its national leadership is no longer visible and offers no vision for the country, leading to its “disintegration”.

Sharma, a four-term MLA, alleged that there is no atmosphere for development in the state while the Congress is disintegrating because its leadership lacks vision for the country and has nothing to offer except criticism of Modi.

Rana echoed his view and blamed the Congress leadership for causing a “political disaster” and said they are hopeful of putting the hill state on the path to development, a pointer to the BJP’s efforts to bring down the government through bypoll wins and further defections from the grand old party.

“We want to contribute to the development of the country,” he said.

The Election Commission has announced bypolls for the six constituencies held by these former Congress MLAs.

Bypolls are expected to be announced on the three seats held by the Independents too.

The Congress government was last month plunged into a crisis after the BJP won the Rajya Sabha poll for the state’s lone seat due to the support of these nine MLAs.

Though Sukhu has been putting up a brave face and there appears to be no immediate threat to his government, the BJP is looking to bring down his dispensation with bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold.

With the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs, the strength of the ruling party came down from 39 to 33 in the now 62-member assembly. Its original strength is 68. The BJP has 25 members.

The Speaker, who can vote only in the case of a tie during a floor test, is affiliated to the Congress.

The resignations of the three Independent MLAs have further reduced the assembly’s strength.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com staff. Copy comes from an agency feed)

Citing sources, a PTI report said that six Congress MLAs and three independents are likely to join the BJP.

On February 29, six rebel Congress MLAs — Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto — were disqualified for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the Himachal Pradesh government during a cut motion and budget.

Will join BJP: Independents

Meanwhile, on Friday, three Independent MLAs — Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh and KL Thakur — also resigned from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly and announced their intention of contesting the bypolls on a BJP ticket.

“We have submitted our resignations. We will join the BJP and contest the elections on its ticket,” former MLA Hoshiyar Singh told reporters.

The Election Commission has announced bypolls for the constituencies of disqualified Congress MLAs while the same is expected to announced for the seats held by the Independent lawmakers as well.

Himachal political crisis

A political crisis was triggered in the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu last month after the BJP won the Rajya Sabha poll for the state’s lone seat due to the support of these nine MLAs.

Though Sukhu has been putting up a brave face and there appears to be no immediate threat to his government, the BJP is looking to topple his dispensation with bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold.

With the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs, the strength of the ruling party came down from 39 to 33 in the now 62-member assembly. Its original strength is 68. The BJP has 25 members.

The Speaker, who can vote only in the case of a tie during a floor test, is affiliated to the Congress.

The resignations of the three Independent MLAs have further reduced the assembly’s strength.

(With PTI inputs)

Addressing a press conference in state capital Imphal, Manipur chief electoral officer Pradeep Kumar Jha informed that 1,058 polling stations out of 2,955 in the restive northeastern state have been flagged as “vulnerable critical” and steps have been taken to ensure free and fair polling at these booths

“Trained officials have visited polling stations for identification of vulnerable locations. A total of 1,058 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and critical,” Jha told reporters, adding, “Steps have been taken to identify history-sheeters, trouble mongers, and persons who might create trouble.”

The state election chief said Lok Sabha polls in Manipur will be held in two phases beginning on April 19.

“The first phase of polls on April 19 will cover 47 assembly segments while the second phase on April 26 will have 13 assembly segments. The last date for filing nominations is March 27,” he said.

Jha informed that the state has a total number of 10,47,929 females and 9,80,855 male voters in addition to 239 transgender electors.

To check election expenditure, 197 flying squads, 194 static surveillance teams, 92 video surveillance teams, 60 video viewing teams and 60 accounting teams have been constituted.

Talking about the “vulnerable” polling stations, Jha said voting at these booths will be webcasted and videographed to ensure free and fair elections in the state.

“These critical and vulnerable polling stations will be brought under webcasting/videography” along with deployment of micro observers and additional deployment of CAPFs,” he said.

Lok Sabha polls announced

The Election Commission of India today announced the dates for Lok Sabha and four state Assembly elections.

The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases from April 19, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday

The counting will be held on June 4 and results will be declared on the same day.

Nearly 97 crore voters will be eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country. With the announcement of dates, the moral code of conduct comes into force immediately.

(With inputs from agencies)

“First batch of Myanmar nationals who entered India illegally deported today,” CM Biren Singh wrote on X while sharing a video of the illegal immigrants being deported.

First batch of Myanmar nationals who entered India illegally deported today.

Although India is not signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it has given shelter & aid to those fleeing the crisis in Myanmar on humanitarian grounds with a systematic approach. pic.twitter.com/zgte8RfmGl

— N.Biren Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@NBirenSingh) March 8, 2024

“Although India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it has given shelter & aid to those fleeing the crisis in Myanmar on humanitarian grounds with a systematic approach,” Singh added.

According to a report by The Assam Tribune, the seven Myanmar nationals were flown from the international airport in Manipur capital Imphal to the border town of Moreh and will be handed over to Myanmar officials at Tummu, a Myanmarese town on their side of the international border.

The transportation cost of the deporting the illegals will be borne by the Manipur Transport Department, officials said.

FMR suspended, Indo-Myanmar border to be fenced

The move comes weeks after the Indo-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR) was suspended which allowed tribal people living along the border to travel 16 km into each other’s countries without need of a valid visa.

It was also decided that the entire stretch of Manipur’s 1,643-km long border with Myanmar will be completely fenced in order to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants into Indian territory.

Notably, CM Biren Singh had been demanding the scrapping of the FMR and the fencing of the border with Myanmar as he claims that the ethnic strife which has torn apart the northeastern state is the result of a porous India-Myanmar border which facilitates the entry of illegal immigrants belonging to the Kuki-Zo community as well as smuggling of drugs and weapons.

Reports claim that thousands of Myanmar nationals, who are facing an imminent civil war back home,  have illegally swarmed into ethnic-violence hit Manipur.

The situation in Myanmar erupted after a military coup dislodged the democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and launched a brutal crackdown against the populace to consolidate power.

The Manipur violence

At least 219 people have been killed in the ethnic strife in Manipur which erupted on May 3 last year after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.

According to officials, a group of “anti-social elements” stormed the house of Konsam Kheda Singh at around 9 AM on Friday morning, bundled him into a vehicle and fled the spot. Singh, a resident of Charangpat Mamang Leikai in Thoubal district, is serving as a JCO in the Indian Army and was on leave, they said.

Police said the motive behind the Army man’s abduction is not known yet, but initial reports suggest that it is a case of extortion as his family had received such threats in the past.

Meanwhile, following the JCO’s abduction, police and other law enforcement agencies launched a coordinated search operation to rescue him and set up checkpoints at several locations.

“Checking of all vehicles plying on National Highway 102 is currently in progress. The cause of the abduction is not known and further details are awaited,” said an officer.

Fourth such case since conflict began

Notably, this the fourth such case since ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur wherein soldiers while on leave, on duty or their relatives have been targeted for nefarious interests by inimical elements.

In September 2023, Serto Thangthang Kom, a former Assam Regiment soldier, was kidnapped and killed by an unidentified armed group from the valley.

Kom was posted in Manipur’s Leimakhong with the Defence Service Corps (DSC).

Two months later, an unidentified armed group kidnapped four people while they were travelling in an SUV from the hill district Churachandpur to Leimakhong, and killed them.

The four were family members of an Indian Army soldier serving in Jammu and Kashmir.

A fifth passenger, the father of the soldier, who was injured, managed to escape and was later airlifted by the army to Dimapur for treatment. He was eventually shifted to the base hospital in Guwahati, Assam.

An Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) from Manipur Police was attacked in his house in Imphal city on February 27. The attackers in this case were identified as Arambai Tenggol (AT), a radical Meitei group.

Police Commandos lay down arms

Following the incident, police commandos of Manipur laid down their arms in Imphal and other areas.

The open defiance of discipline in the police ranks on the morning of the commencement of the state assembly (February 28, 2024) prompted Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh to visit the police officer in the hospital and also hold discussions with the senior police officials to address their grievances.

Manipur Police also published a statement blaming the notorious group AT for the attack and warned all miscreants to refrain from such acts and indicating that prevalence of such conditions will result in reimposition of AFSPA in the valley.

Security forces targeted

Officials rued that the security forces working tirelessly for restoring peace and normalcy in the restive state are being targeted for performing their duty. “Attacks by the inimical elements on security forces and their families need to be strongly condemned and perpetrators caught and punished as per the law,” they said.

The Manipur violence

At least 219 people have been killed in the ethnic strife in Manipur which erupted on May 3 last year after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.

(With PTI inputs)

“Flagged off air services from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to Shri Ayodhya Dham, Amritsar, Pantnagar and Varanasi and gave boarding passes to the passengers and wished them a happy journey. As a result of the efforts of the double engine government, the air connectivity of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is continuously getting strengthened,” CM Dhami wrote in a post on X while sharing pictures of the inauguration event.

“With the start of these air services, while people will get convenience in transportation, tourism in the state will also get a new direction and momentum,” he said.

The chief minister further said,  “We endeavour to make moving the people within the entire state of Uttarakhand convenient, simple and easy. For this, we are continuously making efforts and the people of the country are travelling to different places in the state,”

जौलीग्रांट एयरपोर्ट, देहरादून से श्री अयोध्या धाम, अमृतसर, पंतनगर और वाराणसी के लिए हवाई सेवाओं का फ्लैग ऑफ किया और यात्रियों को बोर्डिंग पास देकर मंगलमय यात्रा के लिए शुभकामनाएं दी।

डबल इंजन सरकार के प्रयासों के फलस्वरुप देवभूमि उत्तराखण्ड की हवाई कनेक्टिविटी लगातार सुदृढ़ हो… pic.twitter.com/zDuUIxRlIn

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (Modi Ka Parivar) (@pushkardhami) March 6, 2024

Referring to air services, the Chief Minister Dhami said that before this, the state had started air connectivity from and to Dehradun-Pithoragarh and also started heli services from Haldwani to Champawat, Munsiyari and Pithoragarh.

Dhami thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Hailing PM Modi, he said that under his leadership period, there has been unprecedented progress in every sector, including the air services.

The Chief Minister also interacted with the passengers travelling to Ayodhya amid the chanting of “Jai Shri Ram” and wished them a safe journey.

According to the CM’s office, Dhami had been trying for a long time to start air services for all three places.

“Before the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the CM had personally requested and written a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia,” an official statement said earlier.

Dehradun Airport is a medium-sized airport in India with domestic flights only. On the other hand, Ayodhya recently got its first airport, which has been named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport on December 30 last year.

(With ANI inputs)

#WATCH | Nainital Police has reached Haldwani after arresting Abdul Malik, the mastermind of the violence that took place on February 8 in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, from Delhi. pic.twitter.com/QRlONTSVIj

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024

“Six teams were formed to search for Malik and his son Abdul Moid in different states including Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena told reporters.

The Nainital Police chief said that one of these nabbed Malik from Delhi but his son is still on absconding and efforts are underway to trace and arrest him at the earliest.

Malik and his wife Safia are among six persons booked for criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land, Meena said.

#WATCH | Haldwani Violence | Uttarakhand: PHQ spokesperson IG Nilesh Bharne says, "Abdul Malik has been arrested from Delhi (in the case of violence that took place on February 8 in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani). The Nainital Police team is carrying the investigation further. Soon they… pic.twitter.com/pYSE9FjNA2

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024

The prime accused, regarded as the ‘mastermind’ behind the February 8 riots in which six people were killed and over a hundred cops and journalist sustained injuries, had allegedly built an “illegal” madrasa in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani whose demolition triggered violence in the area.

Malik had vehemently opposed the administration’s action and his wife Safia had gone to the court challenging the Municipal Corporation notice for its demolition.

Fresh case against Malik, his wife

On Thursday, the Nainital Police had registered a fresh case of fraud and criminal conspiracy was registered against six people, including Abdul Malik and his wife, in connection with the Haldwani violence.

The accused have been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy to mislead the government departments and the court on the basis of false affidavits, SSP Meena had said.

They have been booked under sections 120B(criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC,  Meena told reporters.

Earlier, three FIRs were registered in connection with the incident.

A look-out notice against Malik and his son Abdul Moid was issued earlier and their property in the town attached.

#WATCH | Haldwani | The houses of Abdul Malik and his son Abdul Moeed, wanted in the Banbhulpura riots, are being attached in Banbhulpura. At present, police and administration teams including Harbans Singh SP City Haldwani, Sangeeta CO Lalkuan, Sachin Tehsildar Haldwani, DR… pic.twitter.com/9ImUtaR8A7

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 16, 2024

Around 80 people have been arrested so far in connection with the Haldwani riots.

Haldwani violence

Violent protests broke out in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on February 8 after an illegally built madrasa was demolished by authorities. Rioters clashed with the police, hurling stones stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and cops, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.

In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, police said.

(With PTI inputs)

Four more rioters were arrested, taking the total number of arrests so far to 78 in the February 8 violence that broke out over the demolition of an illegal madrasa in Banbhoolpura, they said.

Malik and his wife Safia are among six persons booked for criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land, Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena said.

The accused have been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy to mislead the government departments and the court on the basis of false affidavits, he said.

They have been booked under sections 120B(criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC, he told reporters.

Earlier, three FIRs were registered in connection with the incident.

A look-out notice against Malik and his son Abdul Moid was issued earlier and their property in the town attached.

Malik had built the illegal madrasa and vehemently opposed its demolition, police said.

His wife had even moved the court challenging the municipal corporation’s notice for demolition.

Meanwhile, four more rioters were arrested for the violence on Thursday.

On a viral video showing that money is being distributed among people in the riot-hit area in Haldwani, the SSP said people who distributed money belonged to a Hyderabad-based NGO.

Investigations have revealed that some people of the NGO ‘Hyderabad Youth Courage’ have distributed money, he said.

“The source of the funds and the amount distributed by them is being looked into. Appropriate action will be taken by the police and other departments concerned,” Meena said.

Violence broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an illegally built madrasa in the Banbhoolpura area, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.

In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to police.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com. Copy comes from an agency feed)

According to the police, those arrested on Saturday include Shakeel Ansari, Maukeen Saifi and Zia ul Rahman whose posters were among the nine named accused put up on Friday across the town seeking information from the public on their whereabouts.

‘Mastermind’ Abdul Malik’s property attached

A senior police official said that the properties of alleged mastermind, Abdul Malik, and his son Abdul Moid, are being attached. However, Malik, who allegedly masterminded the February 8 riots, and his son Moid, are still on the run and efforts are underway to nab the father-son duo, he said,

Earlier, a non-bailable warrant and a lookout notice were issued against Malik and his son. Subsequently, posters of nine named accused, including the father-son duo, were pasted across the town on Friday.

As per the police, Malik had got the madrassa built “illegally” and had vehemently opposed its demolition.

His wife Safia Malik had moved the High Court seeking suspension of the demolition exercise but failed to get immediate relief.

It is alleged that Malik had incited violence in Banbhoolpura on February 8 that left six people dead and more than 100 injured.

Haldwani Violence

Violent protests broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.

In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than 100 people, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to the police.

Jamiat demands compensation, jobs for kin of slain ‘innocents’

Meanwhile, prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Saturday demanded that that the state government give adequate compensation and jobs to the families of “innocent people” killed in the Haldwani violence.

Accusing the Uttarakhand Police of “brutality” against Muslims in Haldwani, Maulana Arshad Madani said the situation in the country at this time are “very dangerous” as efforts are being made to incite and marginalise the Muslim community.

“Efforts are being made not only to incite Muslims by creating a new conflict but also to marginalize them. But despite all this, the patience and forbearance shown by Muslims is unparalleled,” Madani, who heads one faction of the Jamiat grouping, said in his address of the Jamiat working committee.

Condemning the “brutality and cruelty” of the police in Haldwani, Madani said the Uttarakhand government should give adequate compensation and jobs to the families of the “innocent people” who he alleged were killed in police action.

He also demanded strict legal action against the police personnel who he alleged fired “indiscriminately” on the crowd.

(With PTI inputs)

“A mob numbering approximately 300-400 attempted to storm the office of SP CCP today, pelting stone, etc. The SF (security forces) including RAF is responding appropriately by firing tear gas shell to control the situation. Things are under watch,” Manipur Police wrote on X.

According to reports, the mob set ablaze a bus and other structures outside the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Chandrachur district as they raised slogans demanding the reinstatement of head constable Simalpaul who was suspended after visuals of him posing in a bunker of “armed miscreants” and “village defence volunteers” atop a hill, went viral.

https://twitter.com/VladAdiReturns/status/1758185543886913890

At least one person is reportedly dead, while as many as 25 others have sustained injuries as security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse the raging mob which tried to break into the district police chief’s office.

In one of the videos, the protesters can also be seen vandalizing an office, however, India.com could not verify the details or the location of the place seen in the clip. The rioters also allegedly took down the Tricolor, however, these claims could not be verified.

Is Vandalism of a Government office normal in Churachandpur? Is there a Rule of Law in Churachandpur? This is the unraveling of a 9 month long separatist agenda engineered by the Kuki Zo militants. Picture abhi baki hai mere dost! Humare Tiranga ko bhi niche kar diye, ab kya kya… pic.twitter.com/veMeabbzdn

— Dhiraj Luwang Vlogs (@dhiraj_luwang) February 15, 2024

Visuals shared on social media showed the mob engaging in arson and vandalism as they torched a bus and some public property outside the SP office.

Central forces are being chased out from Churachandpur, public property are set ablazed by Kuki Zo Separatist. They even disrespected our Indian Tricolour by dehoisting it in the chaotic situation in Churachandpur. #KukiTerrorists_pulled_down_Tricolor… pic.twitter.com/Js84I7tpr2

— Dhiraj Luwang Vlogs (@dhiraj_luwang) February 15, 2024

Kuki cop suspended after viral selfie with ‘armed men’

Earlier, officials said that head constable Siamlalpaul was kept “under suspension with immediate effect until further orders” by Churachandpur SP Shivanand Surve after a video of him with “armed men” and “sitting together with village volunteers” went viral on social media.

“A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14,” the suspension order by the Churachandpur SP read.

“This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force,” it added.

Siamlalpaul has been asked not to “leave the station without prior permission” and “his pay and allowances have been restricted to subsistence allowance admissible as per the rules”, it said.

(With PTI inputs)